Our first English-language newsletter. Problems seeing it? Read this newsletter online. Don't want to receive these newsletters? Unsubscribe here.

Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church

Dear Bishop Thomas,

I'm sending you a copy of our first English newsletter to let you know what is happening in our Swedish mission. I hope you will keep us in your prayers!

Residency at the Antiochian Village

This summer Herman Fields and Mikael Fälthammar took part in a two-week residency at the Antiochian Village in Pennsylvania as part of the St. Stephen's Course. Both Herman and Mikael are preparing for ministry in our mission, and were immensely blessed by meeting many Orthodox brothers and sisters in the United States.

We want to express a special thank you to Father Joseph, Archdeacon Peter, Cheri Mullins and all the faculty of the House of Studies, as well as to our hosts His Grace Bishop Thomas, and Paul Finnley for all your help and hospitality. We felt rejuvinated and encouraged by two intense weeks of spiritual fellowship and learning.

Help us spread the word! Anyone can subscribe to this newsletter here.

Share on Facebook or Twitter

And remember to like our Facebook page as well.

Parish life in Göteborg, Sweden

In the heart of Göteborg, we are very blessed to be able to borrow a basement venue, under a large church. This room is normally used for week-day mass in the church's youth group. We store our icons in a cupboard, and on Sunday evenings, this is the place where we hold a reader's vespers. Several icons have been donated or leant, both printed and hand-painted. For a parish of our size this venue is the perfect size.

Please pray that God will bless the people and priests of Vasakyrkan (the church who hosts us) as they have shown us such hospitality! When we are have a priest visiting and want to hold Divine Liturgy they also allow us to use the main sanctuary, as well as their kitchen and fellowship hall.

Currently we have four catechumens, and we get a regular stream of visitors to our Sunday vespers. We hold a study group once a month to study Orthodox theology, and also practice singing so that when we do have our own priest we will be equipped to celebrate the divine liturgy.

Sweden's Orthodox Protectress: St. Anna of Novgorod

Orthodox saints might not be the first thing you picture when you think of Sweden, but we have a number of them. St. Anna of Novgorod, is our most celebrated, and is the protectress of Sweden.

St. Anna, Grandduchess of Novgorod and mother of St. Vladimir the Enlightener of Rus, was born and baptized in the West. She was the daughter of the Swedish King Olaf Skötkonung, the “All-Christian King,” who did much to spread Orthodoxy in Scandinavia, and the pious Queen Astrida.

In Sweden, she was known as Princess Ingegerd and married Yaroslav the Wise, Grand Prince of Kiev, in 1016, taking the name Irene.

She gave shelter to the outcast sons of British King Edmund, Edwin and Edward, as well as Norwegian Prince Magnus, who later returned to Norway.

She is perhaps best known as the mother of Grand Prince Vladimir, the Enlightener of Rus and Equal-to-the-Apostles, and of Vsevolod of Pereyaslavl, himself the father of Vladimir Monomakh and progenitor of the Princes of Moscow. Her daughters were Queen Anne of France, Queen Maria of Hungary, and Queen Elizabeth of Norway.

The whole family was profoundly devout and pious. In Kiev, St. Irene-Anna founded the convent of St. Irene the Great-Martyr, and ruled it.

She reposed in 1050 in the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom (St. Sophia) in Kiev, having been tonsured a monastic with the name of Anna.

Supporting the Swedish mission

Many of you have asked us how you can help us in our missions work. We have been so blessed by all the gifts and encouragement we have received, including icons and liturgical equipment.

We don't want you to feel that we are asking anything of you besides your prayers. Nevertheless, for those who want to contribute to our mission, we have set up a Paypal account that you can deposit money into.

Our outreach plans include travelling to nearby cities to hold vespers. We also print Orthodox litterature in Swedish (for example lives of Saints) and give them away at Christian conferences. These are the kinds of things we do with donations. But again, please feel that you are doing more than enough just by remembering to pray for our mission. Thank you for your support.

God bless you as you continue to do God's work in your own community. We are so encouraged to know that we have an extended family of Orthodox Christians around the world who support our mission work. Thank you again for all your prayers and gifts.

In Christ,

Herman Fields, Mikael Fälthammar and all the faithful of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church

This message was sent to Bishop Thomas Joseph on the English mailing list of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Göteborg, Sweden. If you don't wish to receive our newsletters, please unsubscribe here.